To Love the Pain Away
by Kathi1C
Summary: Duncan MacLeod was drunk.  Richie ends up taking him home.  What happens after that?


MacBeth had nothing on Duncan MacLeod.

Duncan was tired. He'd had to kill someone he'd called a friend... again. Everyone agreed it had to be done, the man was killing mortals, but that didn't make it any easier. By the gods, he was tired of killing.

Richie Ryan sat across the bar and watched his friend. Duncan had almost emptied a bottle of single malt, something he'd done almost every night for the past two weeks.

"How long has he been like this?" Richie asked.

"If you mean tonight, about an hour," Joe Dawson said.

Richie Ryan, Immortal, and Joe Dawson, watcher, musician and bar owner, had one thing in particular in common - their love of the Immortal Scot. Joe's was the love of a brother and comrade. Richie's love went much deeper than that.

Richie had realized several years ago where his preferences were. Oh, he like females, to be sure, and in public, that's all anyone saw him with. In private, it was a different matter. He was glad that Duncan and Tessa had gotten him his own place in Paris. He'd had two male lovers in Paris then, one before and one after fling with that woman who shall remain nameless and married. Both had been fun and everyone parted friends.

The only other person who'd known was Tessa and it was a secret she took to her grave. She'd walked in on Richie and one of his friends in the store room one afternoon. They were kissing and groping when she walked in. She backed out and didn't say anything until Richie's friend had left.

"I guess you're wondering about what you saw," he murmured.

"I have no doubt about what I saw," Tessa said. "You're. . ."

"Bisexual," Richie supplied. "I've known since I was sixteen. I was seventeen when someone showed me that loving another guy wasn't dirty or sick or perverted."

"Of course it isn't," Tessa assured him.

"Tessa, please don't tell Mac about this."

"Why not?"

"I want to tell him in my own way, when the time is right."

"Alright," Tessa smiled. "Just be careful."

"I will be. And Tessa," Richie said, smiling shyly, "thanks."

Six months later, Tessa was dead and Richie was Immortal. Everything else got pushed aside.

It was just in the last few months that Richie realized that he was in love with Mac. Not just the 'I want to jump your bones' lust, although there was that. It was the 'Let me hold you and make the world go away for awhile,' kind of love. He shook his head. Neither would probably happen so he just pushed it to the back of his mind.

"Rich, why don't you take him back to the loft," Joe said. "He doesn't need to be driving."

"Alright," Richie agreed.

He got up and walked over to the table where Mac was sitting. The Highlander had just finished the last drink in the bottle.

"Hey, Mac," Richie greeted.

"'lo, Rich," Mac said quietly.

"Mac, why don't you let me take you home," Richie suggested.

"Aren't you afraid?" Mac asked.

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid I'll kill you," Mac replied. "I kill all my friends."

"No, you don't," Richie sighed. "Come on. Lets go home."

"On your bike?"

"No, we'll take your car," Richie told him.

"Okay,"

Mac stood up. . . at least he tried to stand. His legs weren't working like they should.

"You're pretty drunk for just one bottle," Richie said.

"Not jus' one bottle," Mac slurred. "Had one 'fore got here."

"It figures," Richie muttered. "Where are your keys?"

"In my pocket."

Richie fished them out, then took Mac's arm. They started toward the door.

"Goodnight, Joe," Richie waved as they walked by the bar.

"'Night, Joe," Mac mimicked.

"Goodnight, you two," Joe said. he shook his head as the pair walked out. "And good luck."

Richie managed to get Mac into the car without too much trouble although the Highlander insisted on singing 'Scotland the Brave' at the top of his lungs the entire way home. They finally pulled into the parking lot at the dojo.

Mac got out of the car and started walking toward the street. With a sigh, he grabbed Mac's arm and started pulling him toward the dojo.

"Where we goin', Rishie?" Mac asked.

"Up to the loft," Richie answered.

"Wha's up there?"

"It's where you live, Mac."

"You sure 'bout that?" Mac questioned.

"Very sure."

Mac looked at Richie for a few moments. "Okay," he said and headed for the door.

*Thank God for elevators,* Richie thought. *I'd never have gotten Mac up the stairs to the loft.* As it was, Mac had both arms wrapped around the young Immortal's shoulders as the elevator moved.

The elevator stopped and Richie helped Duncan over to the bed. The Scot dropped on to the edge. Richie tried to get him to lay down but he refused.

"I got close on," Mac stated.

"So take them off then lay down."

"'kay."

Mac looked down. "Richie!" he shouted. "Somebody took my buddons! How m'I sposed to get this off wis' ou' buddons?"

"You're wearing a sweater, Mac," explained Richie. "There are no buttons. It goes over your head."

Mac looked dubious but decided to give it a try. He ended up with his head and one arm stuck, falling off the bed in the process. Richie heard a whimper coming from inside the sweater.

"Mac, I've never seen you have this much trouble getting your clothes off," Richie sighed. "Then again, I don't think I've ever seen you this drunk."

He helped the Scot get the sweater over his head then helped him back on the bed.

"You're a good frien', Rishie," Duncan patted Richie's knee.

"Thanks Mac."

"Rishie, do you love me?" Mac asked.

"Of course I do, Mac," Richie assured and added silently, *in ways you'll never know.*

"I love you, too," told him, "I love you vera mush." With that, he grabbed the young Immortal and kissed him.

Richie was so startled that, for a few moments, he did nothing. Then he started to relax into the kiss, then he remembered who he was kissing. He pushed Mac away and stood up.

"Wha's wrong, Rishie?" asked Mac. "I thought you loved me?"

*My God, he's pouting,* Richie thought, and moaned. "Mac, you are drunk and whatever else I may do, I don't take advantage of people when they're drunk," Richie stated.

"Wanna kiss you 'gain," Mac said.

Richie pulled back the covers and gently pushed Mac onto the bed. "If you remember any of this tomorrow, we'll talk about it," said Richie. He covered the Highlander up. "Go to sleep, Mac."

"You'll be here when I wake up?"

"I'll be here," Richie assured him. Mac nodded, turned over and was instantly asleep.

Richie just shook his head. Grabbing what he needed, he made up the couch. As he crawled under the blanket, he thought about the kiss. Even if nothing else ever happened, he'd have that kiss to dream about.

The sun had been up for quite sometime when Mac woke up... or maybe regained consciousness would be a better term. he groaned. he maybe Immortal but it would still take awhile for the effects of two bottles of scotch to work its way out of his system.

It was the smell of coffee that forced him to open his eyes and slowly sit up. When he did he saw Richie standing in the kitchen. He closed his eyes and moaned.

"Morning, sunshine," Richie greeted cheerfully. He poured a cup of coffee for Mac and brought it over.

"How can you be so cheerful?" Mac asked as he took the mug.

"Because I'm not the one who finished off two bottles of scotch single handedly," Richie replied.

"Oh, God, I did, didn't I?" Mac moaned again.

"Why don't you finish your coffee and go take a shower?" Richie suggested. "It'll make you feel better. Oatmeal and toast for breakfast."

Duncan nodded as he crawled out of bed and walked into the bathroom. Richie shook his head then headed back to the kitchen.

A half hour later, Mac was feeling much better. he'd finished his second cup of coffee after the shower and was working on breakfast. Nothing was said as they ate.

"Feeling human again?" Richie asked when they were through.

"Yeah," Mac said. "Thanks, Richie. For last night as well as this morning."

"That's what friends are for," Richie shrugged. "Mac, Maxwell had to die. He was killing mortals, hunting them for sport. No matter what crimes they may have committed, that didn't give him the right to kill them. You gave him a chance to change but he went after a kid. You killed him to keep him from killing a fourteen year old boy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I would have done the same thing. So would Methos or Amanda or any of a dozen Immortals I could name. I know it's hard but he's still manipulating you. Don't let him win now."

He rinsed his dishes and left them in the sink. "Well, I'd better run," he said. "I still need to pick up my bike at Joe's."

"You said we could talk."

Richie stiffened but didn't turn around. "I take it you remember last night," he said quietly.

"Every bit of it," Duncan replied.

He walked up behind the young man. "You said you loved me. You kissed me."

"You asked me if I loved you," Richie corrected. "And you kissed me."

"Do you love me?" Mac asked.

"Mac, don't do this, please," whispered Richie. He moved away and stood looking out the window.

"You didn't answer my question," Mac persisted, looking at his young friend.

"Alright, yes, I love you," Richie ground out. "Are you happy now?"

"Richie."

"Do you know how much it hurts?" Richie asked. "I hate falling in love. I fall in lust with females. I fall in love with guys. The first time when I was seventeen about six months before I met you. He was killed when someone tried to rob the store where he worked.

"The second time was when we were in Paris that first time. I fell in love. He wanted a walk on the wild side until he went back to Italy and his rich life.

"When you had that dark quickening and I ran, I ended up in Texas. I fell in love again. He saw me take a head and couldn't handle it. He called me a monster. I got on my bike and took off.

"I dream about you almost every night. My dreams are safe. Because I don't get hurt. In my dreams, you love me back. Nothing and no one can hurt us. No one's after our heads. Then I wake up and the real world is back, leaving me with an ache in my heart."

"Were you ever going to say anything to me?" Mac asked.

Richie shook his head, ignoring the tears running down his face. "If I didn't say anything, I wouldn't have to leave," he replied. "It was all I could do not to crawl into bed with you last night."

Mac walked over and stood next to Richie. "I wouldn't have minded if you had," he admitted. "I don't know when it happened but I realized I was in love with you when you showed up at the barge when Hyde was chasing you. I almost said something but so much was going on."

Mac reached out and brushed some of the tears away with his thumb. "I didn't think you felt that way about me, or ever would."

"We're quite a pair aren't we?" Richie gave Mac a small smile. He got serious then, "I love you, Duncan."

Mac slipped his arms around Richie's waist. "I love you, too," he said, then kissed him.

It started out gentle but it didn't take long for the flames of passion to start. They kissed until the lack of oxygen made them stop. Their eyes were dilated with desire.

Mac took Richie's hand and they started walking across the room. He chuckled at the puzzled look on the young Immortal's face.

"It's all right," Mac assured him. "We're just going to see how many of our dreams we can make come true."

"Then it's a good thing we're Immortal, " Richie smiled, "because that could take a long time."

"Good," Mac said and pulled Richie in for another kiss as they reached the bed.

It took a while to undress because they insisted on undressing each other and kissing the skin as it was revealed. Their clothes were on the floor. Both Immortals were so aroused it was almost painful.

Mac crawled onto the bed then pulled Richie down next to him. "Hello, sailor," Richie chuckled. "Come here often?"

Mac flipped onto his back. "Brat," he growled. He leaned in and began kissing Richie's neck.

"Fasten your seat belts," Richie moaned. "It's going to be a bumpy ride." That was the last coherent thing either of them said for several hours.

It was mid-afternoon. Richie lay draped over Mac as he dozed. The sunlight highlighted their bodies. Richie stirred and Mac pulled him closer. The younger man sighed then opened his eyes.

"Hello," Mac said with a smile.

"Hello, yourself," Richie answered. He tried to snuggle closer to Mac.

"How are you feeling?" Mac queried.

"Wonderful." That made Mac chuckle then fall silent.

Richie raised himself on his elbow. "Is something wrong?" he asked quietly.

"I hope not," Mac said, reaching up to stroke Richie's face.

"Mac, it's okay," Richie smiled. "I don't regret any of this. I love you." He saw Mac visibly relax. He leaned down and kissed his lover.

"I love you, too," Mac said. "Are you hungry?"

"Not for anything I have to get out of bed for," Richie grinned. He leaned down and began sucking on Mac's nipple.

Mac moaned and pulled Richie's head up. "You're insatiable," he growled.

"Nah," Richie chuckled. "Just an Immortal in love."

The End. 


End file.
